1864 2 Cent Pieces

Westcoin is the guy who knows about 2 cent varieties and books.


-MV

Thanks guys.

Frank Leone's book "Longacre's Two-Cent Piece 1864 Attribution Guide" lists 115 varieties, I'm sure there are even more, I don't have an exact count, but I'm pretty sure there are several more additions if I go through the 2¢ Times newsletters also. These are different die marriages, and do not include die states or rotations. Including those, that would easily bring the number to well over 150 I think. I'll put word out to Frank and see if he has an exact count up to present, and let you all know what I find.



Yes please do if you have photos!

In 1864 this was the first year to be struck for circulating 2¢ pieces, a lot were minted, in fact records at the mint show 19,847,500 being struck, including both the small and Large motto varieties. There were around 125 proofs made, but now we are pretty sure more proofs were struck years later. Evidenced by a different hub used on restrikes. The proofs is where the number is still the most challenged in exact figures known. Kevin Flynn has written two books his latest "The Authoritative Reference on Two Cent Coins" covers the proofs quite well. He lists 39 different varieties of 1864 2¢ pieces, nowhere near what Frank has come up with, but Kevin is only listing the more collectable ones, such as dramatic Doubling, Repunched dates, and off center clashes. My favorite is the 1864 clashed with the Indian Head cent. No Indian Head cent has ever been found with the reverse clash marks of the 1864 2¢ piece yet. There is no doubt that the clash happened from the examples of the 2¢ pieces known, I have 2 PCGS certified pieces now, MS63RB and AU details genuine, I know of one MS64B that was available to buy when I got my MS63RB, Stacks/Bowers was selling it for a lot more than I was wiling to pay at the time. I know of a half a dozen others in VF and better, most in AU grades, any lower grades the clash is too warn to be seen, though the coin may be attributable through die cracks and other indicators. I know Frank sold a F15 one back in an early auction he ran.

There are a few of us 2 cent nuts that are really into the series beyond the simple varieties, I'm trying to get one of each known die marriage along with any weird die cracks, rotations, die fills, laminations, and any errors I can find.

The real kicker in the whole series is just how few real errors there are, out of 25 million or so minted pieces, there have only been a handful of errors that ever turned up. Off centered, capped dies, broadstruck, etc. Frank wrote an interesting article on the lack of major errors in the 2¢ series for his 2¢ Times newletter.

Alright here are some pics of a few of the coins I have.

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Here is one not in the best condition, but it's a
Small Motto.

Thanks for the correction. Repunched dates.

I ordered a used copy of Frank Leone's book "Longacre's Two Cent Piece die varieties & errors". Only found one for sale, It was a "bit" more than 50 dollars.
I also ordered "The Two Cent Piece and Varieties", by Myron M. Kilman. That one was much cheaper.

That 3rd RPD shown seems to be pretty dramatic. I picked it up this last weekend, from the local coin shop. Didn't even notice the date till I got it home. Not a bad looking coin for the price.

Nice!